Orthopedic appliance and brace



Oct. 19, 1943. L. SPRINGER ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE AND BRACE Filed May 2,1942 Dn Y T N N o v .huf.. C m DA M p w w HA,... L M I 5 l p o m BPatented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

omi-rompio APPLIANCE. AND simon Leopold springer, Union city, N. J.

Application May 2, 194,2, serial No. 441,456

(ol. '12s-71) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an orthopedic appliance, particularly a bracefor supporting parts of the human body when support is required, and

for keeping neighbouring parts of the body in process is completed, someweakness is apt to re-` main, and a support is needed until the joint isperfectly restored, and for such purpose the brace according to theinvention is of utility.

In the case of acute arthritis in or inflammation of a joint,particularly the hip-joint, a treatment is necessary after the acutephenomena have disappeared, and the joint is t0 be supported in whichcase the brace accordingr to the invention is also of utility. The sameapplies to habitual luxation of a joint, particularly the hip joint,where such a support according to the invention is useful.

There are other cases in which the brace of vthe invention is applicableto advantage, whenever weakness of a joint, such as a hip joint, existsor remains'from any disease or fracture, and either support yof thejoint'or a limitation of the relative movement of the parts connected inthe joint is advisable. This includes conditions resulting fromdiseases, such as tabes, where excessive relative movement or wobblingof the joined parts is to be prevented.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an orthopedicappliance or brace which is capable. of supporting parts of the humanbody connected in a joint and to permit a limited motion of those joinedparts but prevent their loose motion.

It is another object of the invention to provide an orthopedic applianceor brace which aifords parts of the human body connected in a jointcomfortable and suiiicient support Where such support is needed, permitsa limited movement of the parts joined and also permits immobilizationof these parts relative to one another.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an orthopedicappliance or brace in Vwhich parts of the human body connected in ajoint are comfortably supported, permit a limited movement of thesupported parts but also their immobilization, and which can be easilyadjusted from one condition to the other to meet the wearers comfort. A

This and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understoodwhen the specification proceeds with reference to the drawing in whichby way of exemplication Fig. 1 shows perspectively and with some partsbroken away, the brace, and Fig. 2 a cross section along the line 2 2 inFig. 1.

-In the drawing a brace is shown for use at the hip joint, for examplethe right hip joint. It comprises an upper girdle-like supporting memberlil provided with a lining preferably of fabric and shaped to t theabdomen of the wearer and to be closed in front. It may include elasticportions, if desired, or be elastic throughout, giving however the bodyandybrace a rm support. The upper and lower edges may be reinforced'with strips 0f leather or fabric ii, I2, and vertical stiffening meansmay be arranged at suitable places, as shown for instance at I3, I4 andvl5. The stiifening means may consist of fabric or leather strips sewn tothe girdle-like support l0, and they may form casings to hold flexiblebones.

The edges I6, il for closing the support IB are also reinforced andprovided with eyelets I8 through which laces I9 are to be drawn. Anyother way of closing the girdle-like support, such as by hooks and eyesor slide-fastener, may be used. A tongue 2i! is preferably arrangedinside the closure.

A strap 2l is kfastened to the leftrear part lof the support le andl tobe brought over the shoulder of the wearer, and its free end is passedthrough a metal loop 22y and fastened to a clasp 23 which isadjustableon the strap 2l. Metal loop 22 is held in place by strap 24which is sewn to the outside of support IB.

Ano-therV part of the brace to lie on the back part of the upper thigh,in this exemplication of the right leg, consists of a flexible andpreferably well padded portion 25 on which an upper and a lowerbelt-like tubular member or device is fastened. The upper deviceconsists of an inner belt portion 26 and an outer belt portion 2l; the

lower belt-like device consists of an inside beltV portion 23 and anoutside belt portion 29.

Portion 2'! ,may consist of leather with a lining onto which a cover 30of leather or fabric is sewn within which a flat bar 3| of metal isheld; the

bar is curved to fit the leg. At the end of portion 30 a buckle 32 isfastened by means of a sewn on loop 33 through which the tongue-like end34 of the inner portion 26 can be passed. Portions 26 and 21 formtogether a tubular member which is placed around the leg and tightenedby means of buckle 32 and tongue 34.

The lower tubular member or belt portion 29 consists preferably ofleather lined inside, and the belt portion 28 ends in two tongues `35,36 which can be passed through buckles 31, 38 fastened to belt portions29 by a sewn on loop 39. On .the outside of belt-portion 29 a cover 40of leather or fabric is sewn and inside the cover 40 a at metal piece 4Iis inserted .Whichiisz curved to t the leg.

On the outside of the girdle-like support Y`Il) and above the hip of thewearer-.activerof leather or fabric 42 is sewn on and within the coveris arranged a at metal piece 43 curved to '-t the Wealers.bodyaroundand,abovethe hip. To the flat metahpiecel ,theupper partof a-lat bracebaris rigidlyfconnected, for instance .by means of ,rivets-45, havingsunkcheads. `The bar jvpro- .iectsdownwardlywithin a casing ofleather-or fabric .46, Vclosed `.bysevving .at 1&1. Within the lower endof the casing 43 a joint .meinber- 431s arranged :towhich `a Alower .hat.brace bar .4S is iournalled. Bar 49 'passes thev cover .30 on the uppersupport ...21 Land is .rigidly connected, .for instance ...by .means lof.rivets `50 having Lsunk heads, with .the-curved -latmetal :piece .3 Iwithin casing-V30. Thecurved endof -bracebar-49 enters inside cover 40and is rigidly connected withthe flat curved .metal ,piece-4l,preferably by rivets il, having-sunk fheads.

.Outside supportvlfand rigidlyrconnected with .the `curved fmetal pieceV143, extending from the lateralffront totthe side .above the hipacurved bar: 52 jis arranged. and :riveted or screwed at iliand 54 itothevmetalapiecei. .To .the upper support '2-'l,tin =this example on theiright side .of thewearer and behind the lbrace bars .46, 49, .a buckle-551is fastened -by :means of a loop 56. Another loop .51,.is lmovablyattached to bar, 52 and .-its tongueflike end VV58 passed throughbuckleii. Y

:Inlusethe,girdle-likesupport -ID is put around the -lower part oifthewearers `torso and ,laced .in front; the-.curvedametaltpiece 43lesfaroundzand abovethe right hip and .the brace rbars I44, y49 yare on.the fright `side. .Strap .2l ris slung over .the u shoulder andV.adjusted so .that V.the ,support isfin its properfposition aroundthe`wearers body. .The upperfand .lower .belt-.like-.devices.21 and .25,respectively, are put around the legandtightened by means of tonguedaandbuckle V32;.and-tongues 36,36 and .buckles .3.1, .38, respectively.

.It .will .be ,appreciated .that member l ofsubstantially tubular formcanbeeasily applied to the 'body and tightened .by ,lacingto .anydesired extent, without causing v,disccunfort-to the wearer. In the sameway the tubular .members .2.6, .21 .and 29,.canbe ,placed .around .andtightened-on the `wearers legV so .esito .snugly embrace it without.discomfort 4to .him `and interference with the blood circulation. The,parts .of lthe zbody. joined in .the hip joint .arethen kept inproperrelation .hy.the.bars.46, ,49 .connected in the hinge 43 ,and

rigidly.attachedrespectvely .to .the tubular. memher I0` andthemembersll .and 29.

`When .loop 15.1 Yis in the ...position shownin ,full lines, strapf58can .be adjusted in buckle V5.5 so as .to .immobilize .the Vthus.supported parts .of the bodyi. e., ,thatthe `.leg ,cannot .beswungforward at all in the hip joint. If it is intended to also preventswinging backwards of the leg, hinge 48 or the brace bars are to beprovided with cooperating abutments in a manner Well known. If it isintended, however, to permit a limited movement of the leg relative tothe other parts of the body, strap 58 is to be adjusted in buckle 55 soas to permit swinging the leg in the hip joint forward until the memberconsisting of the parts 5l, 53, ,55,and 561s stressed.

VIfit is intended to permit thezwearer to swing the leg quite freely inthe hip joint so as to afford him relaxation and particularly facilitate'his sitting in a chair, loop 51 is moved along bar Y:T52 .in theposition shown in dotted lines at ii,

where the member constituted by the parts 5l, 58, 55,v 55 either crosseshinge 4B or lies even in front `of itand'where in any case the stress cnthis member is released. It will be appreciated that bar 52 is curved insuch a manner that the member constituted of the ,parts `5l, 53, 55. 5Gis stressed or `nearly stressed in the position shown in full llines andthereby either immobilizes the'hip jointor permits .only a.predetermined little or limited movement in the latter, while inthepositionof thesame member indicated .by vdotted lines at V(ii), such.limitation is either removed entirely ora considerably greater movementor forward swing of the leg in the hip joint is permitted.

It is also understoodfthat the brace according to the inventionholds the`parts connected in the hip jointsecurely in their :proper-relativeposition and provides for proper functioning of the joint, supports theleg :in the hip'joint .whenthe wearer iswalking and delays his becomingtired, prevents excessive -or undesirable .movement in the joint andpermitsany relaxation without readjusting any of the parts-of thebrace.All the wearer has to .fdo is to move loop `51 into one of the twoY,positions .on ybar 52 indicated :in full and dotted lines,respectively. VThis he .can .dn while `all the tubular-members Vof thebrace are tightened. The ybrace -wil1 :not show under the wearerlsclothing; bar '.52 can Vbe made of any suitable material and shaped so-as to lie as close as `possible to the `tubular .member l0. A few sizes:ofthe brace `are necessary only.

Any adjustment 'between buckle 55 kand tongue 58 :'canalso'bemade,vwhile `loop Slis in theposition 60 obviously without causing pains tothe wearer.

YIt will also be nappreciated'that itis easy for the 4wearer to .changethe position of loop 51 before lhesits down or starts to'walk and thatthe adjustment A.of vbuckle 5,5and tongue `5!! can be madeonce and`forall.

.'It -is understood that :the principles of Vthe invention can be fusedin Ibraces for other ,joints lthan the hip joint,.such as the knee, ifthe dimensions of the tubularmembers,-etc.,are changed accordingly.

Whatl claim is:

1. An orthopedic appliance orbrace, comprising, in combination, twogroups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at leastone such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at .one of their ends`and `fastened at their other ends to oneofsaidgroups each, anadjustable member connected .with one of said groups, and a curvedbarXedto-a tubulaz1 member of theother one of said groups,saidadjustable .memberslidably connected with and movable into diierentpositions Von said bar, said bar curvedso ,that `with a given adjustmentof said adjustable member in one of the latters positions on said bar aswing of said groups and hinged brace bars to a greater extent ispermitted than in another one of said positions.

2. An orthopedic appliance or brace, comprising, in combination, twogroups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at leastone such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at one of their endsand fastened at their other ends to one of said groups each, anadjustable and bendable member xedly oonnected with one of said groups,and a curved bar connected with one of said tubular members of the otherone of said groups, said curved bar extending to both sides of the bracebar fastened to the same group, said adjustable member .slidablyconnected with and movable into diierent positions on said curved bar,the curvature of said bar being such that with a given adjustment ofsaid adjustable member a swing of said groups relative to one another toa greater extent is permitted when said adjustable member is in positionon one side of said last mentioned brace bar than if it is in positionon the opposite side of said latter brace bar.

3. An orthopedic appliance or brace, comprising, in combination, twogroups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at leastone such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at one of their endsand fastened at their other ends to one of said groups each, anadjustable member connected with one of said groups, and a curved barfixed to a tubular member oi the other one of said groups, saidadjustable member slidably connected with and movable into diierentpositions on said bar, said bar curved so that with a given adjustmentof said adjustable member in one of the latters positions on said bar aswing of said groups and hinged brace bars to predetermined extent ispermitted while they are substantially immobilized in anotherpredetermined one of said positions.

LEOPOLD SPRINGER.

